Kuster Introduces Opioids Warning Label Bill

New Hampshire Congresswoman Annie Kuster has introduced a bill that would put labels on opioids to warn users about the addictive nature of narcotics.

The Concord Monitor reports Kuster named the proposed law after Holderness native Carl Messinger, who was in recovery when he inadvertently was prescribed a cough medicine that contained opiates.

Messinger later relapsed and died of an overdose.

Kuster announced the bill yesterday at Hope for New Hampshire Recovery’s new location in Concord.

Executive Vice President of the New Hampshire Medical Society James Potter said giving patients and health providers all the information about addictive medications is an important step to reducing the number of drug deaths in New Hampshire.

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Today lawmakers approved a 1.5 million dollar statewide drug enforcement program known as Granite Hammer.

After a lengthy procedural debate in the House over whether to proceed with the special session, members voted overwhelmingly in favor of the bill. The legislation, based on a Manchester Police Department initiative, would create a grant program to fund drug enforcement efforts at county and local police departments.

We kick off the Morning Edition series, Hope on the Front Lines, examining the many efforts around the state helping people overcome addiction. We'll look at the array of approaches available in the state including new medicines that curb drug cravings as well as others that revive overdose victims. Recovery coaches, counselors and doctors are also involved on the the long road to full recovery.

House Democrats have ended their almost 26-hour-long sit-in to push for gun control legislation, pledging on Thursday afternoon to continue their fight once Congress returns from the July Fourth recess.

Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., ended the daylong protest surrounded by his Democratic colleagues. The civil rights leader proclaimed that this "is a struggle, but we're going to win this struggle."

Rep. Ann McLane Kuster bristled when asked about her support last month of a bill that would put a pause on the U.S. accepting Syrian and Iraqi refugees while a new, more stringent vetting process was established.

"The bill would not prohibit Syrian refugees from entering the nation. I think there's been a lot of misinformation frankly about the bill," Kuster said during an interview with NHPR's Morning Edition. "It doesn't pause the program. It doesn't apply a religious test. It's a certification that the person does not pose a threat to the security of the United States."